Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Makes: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
2½ tablespoons soy sauce
2½ tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon sriracha or chile garlic sauce
1½ teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chile powder
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the dumplings:
2 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more for cooking dumplings
½ medium white onion, chopped
1½ teaspoons garlic paste or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons ginger paste or ½-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
½ red bell pepper, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces paneer, crumbled or shredded
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water, plus more for cooking
2 scallions, green parts only, sliced on the bias
1 (12- to 14-ounce) package square wonton wrappers
Instructions:
1 ∙ In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients. Set aside.
2∙ Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until starting to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Add peppers and cook until starting to soften, 1-2 minutes. Stir in sauce and cook 1 minute. Fold in paneer and keep stirring to cook out any water, 3-4 minutes.
3∙ In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water, and pour over paneer filling. Remove pan from heat, add scallions and give a quick mix. Adjust seasoning to taste. Let cool completely before filling dumplings.
4∙ Fill a small bowl with water and keep nearby as you fill dumplings. Add 2 teaspoons filling to center of a wonton wrapper. Wet two adjacent edges of wrapper and bring two dry edges over filling so they line up with wet edges. Press together, forming a triangle. Make sure there are no air bubbles. Bring two bottom corners of triangle together, wet one edge and press edges together to form a wonton. Repeat to fill as many as you can.
5∙ Heat a little bit of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 8-10 dumplings, or as many as will fit comfortably in a single layer , and cook until bottoms start to brown, 3-4 minutes. Add ¼ cup water to pan and cover with a lid. Let dumplings steam until all water cooks off, 2-3 minutes. The dumplings should be soft and the skins, gently translucent. Remove lid and let dumplings cook, uncovered, 2 minutes more. Repeat to cook remaining dumplings.
6∙ Serve with soy sauce or spicy cilantro chutney for dipping.
— Adapted from ‘Amrikan’ by Khushbu Shah (W.W. Norton & Co.)